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HomeMy WebLinkAbout04-03-17 Public Comment - B. Stoddart- Black OliveHi All, I thought I'd share some final thoughts on the B O project. I will spare everyone by not reading this tonight, but there may be something in here worth adding to the conversation. “Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you criticize them, you are a mile away from them and you have their shoes.” - Jack Handey, American humorist Handey’s quote on empathy reflects that one’s understanding of the experiences of another is essential (and can be humorous as well) – but we don’t seem to see much empathy these days. Take the guy in the big truck who revs his engine to make a turn while the older woman with a walker struggles to cross the street. Or the person struck by a car in the parking lot who didn’t have a single person, including the people who hit them, ask that person if they were okay. And on the national and international stage, the idea that someone else actually matters is pretty far removed from the conversation. While Monday night’s discussion about the Black Olive project will focus on the impact of a specific project in a specific neighborhood, it seems we are actually trying to solve for a closely related, but different problem. As a friend expressed to me the other day, there are people who want to help create community and there are those who move there to profit from it. The individuals in these disparate groups certainly overlap, and the mix of personalities and motives has always been part of the fabric of Bozeman and many other communities as well. But the air in Bozeman has changed since the early 1990s, as I’m sure it changed over the preceding decades – and with that change has come a gale of opportunity accompanied by the sense that folks better hoist their sails or get out of the way. To oversimplify, this project at Black and Olive has entrenched two camps: those who want their neighborhoods with front porches and pedestrian-friendly streets that allow people the time and space to engage in meaningful ways; and those who believe maximizing the allowable use of the urban zone in which a given project lies is the best way to address growth in Bozeman and build our community in a responsible and sustainable way. Both views are correct. The commission has the unenviable task of reconciling many years of history with many vocal personalities. And legally, their position is somewhat circumscribed by decisions made by those who preceded them – in this case having the B-3 urban development district and an R-2 historical district on adjacent property lines, which all of us could probably agree just isn’t good planning. Despite their difficult position, the commission can rule upon the spirit and intended use of this project as it relates to the surrounding neighborhoods and landscape. The commission can also determine if there is sufficient infrastructure and/or alternatives to existing infrastructure, such as managing traffic patterns on Mendenhall and Babcock streets, or encouraging certain design features, that could help mitigate the less neighborly aspects of such a large infill project. Unfortunately, we have reached a point with the Black Olive project where someone or some group will be unhappy with the decision the commissioners make. Recognizing this, we could all do with a bit of empathy, because in many ways this project is bigger than the community itself. If we don’t work to see the world from someone else’s perspective, we’ll not only miss out on tremendous opportunities to enrich our own experience, we’ll find our community will continue to go the way of the places many of us came from, where pavement has replaced farmland, where people don’t look one another in the eye, much less say hello or smile, and where the automobile and other faceless technologies drive daily interaction. Regardless of what is built at the corner of Black and Olive, this is the future we are facing here in our small, previously undiscovered burg. It remains incumbent on all of us who believe in our community to make sure this project, whatever the outcome, further encourages us to take the time to talk with our neighbors and be present as we continue to work together to build a community of shared experience and personal connection. Best regards - and thank you for your commitment to our town! Bill Bill Stoddart, Founder and President NorthFork Financial, LLC 201 S Wallace Ave, Suite B3F P.O. Box 965 Bozeman, MT 59771 406.579.0334 phone 800.993.9501 fax www.northforkfinancial.com This communication may contain privileged and/or confidential information. It is intended solely for the use of the addressee. If you are not the intended recipient, you are strictly prohibited from disclosing, copying, distributing or using any of this information. If you received this communication in error, please contact the sender immediately and destroy the material in its entirety, whether electronic or hard copy. Confidential, proprietary or time-sensitive communications should not be transmitted via the Internet, as there can be no assurance of actual or timely delivery, receipt and/or confidentiality. This is not an offer, or solicitation of any offer to buy or sell any security, investment or other product. 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